"SHIIIIIIIZZUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOO OOOOO-KUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNN!"

The blonde turned to look over his shoulder as a fast-moving mass of blue slammed into his back, its arms and legs locking around him. Before he could peel off the -irritating- overly-energetic woman, she tightened her grip around him and shouted, "I caught him, Celty! I caught the bartender-disguised Secret Service agent slash Blondie Hulk!"

Shizuo's eye twitched at the strange nickname as he yanked Haruka off of him as gently as he could. Luckily, Celty arrived before Haruka could further agitate him.

"Sorry about that, Shizuo." Celty shook her head as she typed. "A certain idiotic roommate of mine gave Haruka some candy before we left." More clicking. "I needed to ask a favor of you. It's really important."

Shizuo could feel the change in Celty's mood and nodded. "What is it?"

With a silent sigh, Celty held up her phone. "Please watch over Haruka today."

Shizuo's eyebrows furrowed at the thought. "Why do you need me to babysit? Couldn't you have left her with Shinra?"

Celty shook her head once more. "He has clients right now and I have a job to do." She seemed to hesitate for a moment before typing again. "I have a bad feeling something is going to happen to her today, so I don't want to take her with me. She'd be safest with you."

The blonde's eyes narrowed. "That damn flea?" he growled, glancing back at Haruka, who was distracted by a puppy someone was taking for a walk.

"Unfortunately, I'm certain he'll be behind it. And I know Haruka can tell it's coming. She pretends to be oblivious to it, but I've known her long enough to know that she's not as airheaded as she acts… I…" Celty paused, debating whether or not she should continue.

Shizuo glanced over his sunglasses at the hesitant Dullahan. "You what?"

"I think… Haruka only acts this way so she doesn't worry anyone. Shinra told me that she was like this during high school… but he also said there was one day during their last year of middle school where she kept to herself and was uncharacteristically despondent. I can't even imagine her being like that… and I have a feeling Izaya knows what happened."

"Celty," Haruka whined, "are we gonna do something or what? I'm bored!" The auburn-haired woman suddenly appeared between the two, her ridiculously long scarf trailing behind her.

Celty quick drew back her phone, away from Haruka's view, and typed a new message to hide the previous one. "Shinra and I are busy right now, so you're staying with Shizuo today."

"I can't go on your super secret mission today?" Haruka pouted dejectedly, stomping her foot childishly.

"No, it's too dangerous. Just stay with Shizuo, okay? Look. He's already leaving." Celty got on her bike and pointed at Shizuo's slowly disappearing form, motioning for Haruka to follow him. A hand shot out as she revved her engine, gripping her wrist tightly.

"Celty~," Haruka chimed, tilting her head to the side cutely, "please refrain from digging into my past. You shouldn't stick your cute, little nose where it shouldn't be. It might just get chopped off~ !"

Haruka let go of Celty's wrist, patted her helmet, and skipped off to find Shizuo in the crowd, bidding the Dullahan a cheery farewell.

Celty stared after the bubbly woman. She wrapped her arms protectively around her trembling body. To any other person, Haruka had the appearance of an innocent little girl. But Celty could see the darkness that lined her sweet façade. Fear sent shivers down her spine as she thought of the menacing stare she had received.

Haruka's bangs had shaded her eyes, making their dark brown color seem closer to pitch black. Her smiling eyes had narrowed just slightly, adding a feel of malevolence to her predatory gaze. Her lips had just barely parted and upturned into a gentle smile, one that had made Celty feel like a rabbit caught in the path of a hungry fox with no escape.

Although Haruka's voice had been sickeningly sweet, Celty had been able to hear the scathingly venomous undertone. The normally pleasant air about the woman twisted into something so malicious, so terrifying, that it had suffocated the Dullahan and chilled her to the bone.

'W-was that… really Haruka?'